Narendra Modi likely to watch FIFA final ahead of BRICS in Brazil

New Delhi, June 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to witness the heart-thumping finale of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, along with Chinese President XI Jinping, a soccer lover, on July 13.

Modi along with President Xi, South African President Jacob Zuma, and Russian President Vladimir Putin would be attending the 2014 BRICS summit to be held July 15-17 in the city of Fortaleza, in Brazil.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has reportedly invited the leaders of the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa – bloc to also witness the final of the mega sporting event.

If Modi accepts the invite, which he is likely to, he would be joining the other leaders at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.

President Rouseff had invited President Xi in mid May to witness the World Cup Brazil 2014 final on July 13. She had at the same time invited the leaders of the other BRICS nations to grace the FIFA final, before attending the BRICS summit, according to reports.

Rouseff had held a 10-minute phone call with Modi after he became prime minister, to congratulate him. Last week, Modi released a commemorative postage stamp on the 2014 FIFA World Cup and hoped that the international event becomes a “bridge for connecting nations”.

Releasing the stamp on June 12, Modi said, “Sports brings about a spirit of amity and belongingness among nations of the world. May the FIFA World Cup become a bridge for connecting nations together!”

Modi also underlined the need for inculcating the love of sports among children within the country with his slogan “jo khele, wo hi khile (the kids who play grow well)”.